Government bodies

NOAA's National Ocean Service

The National Ocean Service (NOS) is a US government agency working to observe, understand and manage the coastal and marine environment of the United States. The site includes links to news and events, publications and products (some in PDF format), with links to other US government bodies, geodetic data, and environmental programs and education. The site also includes a search engine and links to NOS sites such as the Office of Response and Restoration, responding to oil and hazardous materials spills, and the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management (OCRM).

Federal Maritime Commission

Established in 1961, the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) is "an independent regulatory agency responsible for the regulation of oceanborne transportation in the foreign commerce of the U.S." The site contains: full text of relevant legislation; details of Commission bureaux and offices; Commission rules; and speeches and news releases from 1997 onwards; as well as more specific information relevant to specific regulated entities.

European Union Network for the Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Law

The European Union Network for the Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Law (IMPEL) is an informal network of environmental authorities from the EU Member States and candidate countries, plus Norway. Set up in 1992, IMPEL aims to promote more effective application of legislation on the environment, particularly EU legislation. Current projects concernthe implementation of the EU emissions trading scheme and the application of legislation on the control of industrial pollution .

Bonn Agreement

The Bonn Agreement was inaugurated in 1983, and is an agreement for European cooperation in dealing with pollution of the North Sea by oil and other harmful substances, by offering mutual assistance and co-operation in combating pollution; executing surveillance as an aid to detecting and combating pollution; and preventing violations of anti-pollution regulations. The Agreement is a commitment by North Sea coastal states, together with the EC.

European e-Justice portal

The e-Justice portal is a one-stop shop for lawyers, businesses and members of the public concerned with cross-border legal questions in Europe. It has information about the judicial and legal systems of all member states and provides access to EU and national legislation and case law. 15 tools or dynamic functions are available, including Find a Lawyer, Find a Company, the Fundamental Rights Interactive Tool, the Competent Court Database and a training platform for lawyers and the judiciary. The site can be accessed in all the official EU languages.

United Nations Human Rights Council

The UN Human Rights Council is the successor to the UN Commission on Human Rights. It is responsible for promoting and protecting human rights around the world. The Council's website gives details of its membership, rules of procedure, advisory committees and working groups, meetings and other events. There is information about the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), whereby the HRC reviews the human rights record of each UN Member States every four years.

Rajya Sabha

Official website of the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) which is one of the Indian Houses of Parliament. Rajya Sabha is the Upper House of Parliament and its members are not elected directly by the Indian people but by the Legislative Assemblies of the various states. The site has background information on the role and composition of Rajya Sabha, organisational information and profiles of members. Details of parliamentary business are provided in bulletins, journals and synopses of debates.

Lok Sabha

Official website of the Lok Sabha (House of the People) which is one of the Indian Houses of Parliament. Lok Sabha is composed of representatives of the people directly elected by the adult population who are eligible to vote. The website gives details of members, parliamentary business and the work of committees. Parliamentary debates back to 2004 can be viewed in full text along with parliamentary questions. The site provides an outline of how laws are passed in the Indian Parliament.

Ministry of Justice of the Slovak Republic

Official website of the Slovakian Ministry of Justice. The site includes a profile of the Justice Minister and outlines the roles and duties of the individual sections within the Ministry. These cover criminal law, civil law and international law. There is information about the provision of legal aid and Slovakian extradition procedures. An outline of the court system and the Judicial Academy and an organisation chart of the Ministry are also given. The site can be viewed in Slovak only.

Department for Communities - Law and Legislation

The Department for Communities is a department of the Northern Ireland Executive. Its key responsibilities are housing, social policy, social security and child welfare. This site features electronic collections of current Northern Ireland (NI) social security and child welfare legislation, and links to NI legislation relating to housing and social policy (such as licensing laws). There is also a link to the Northern Ireland Digest of Case Law database which includes decisions of the Social Security Commissioners and Child Support Commissioners for Northern Ireland.

Subscribe to Government bodies